Big Mike has worked the door at Pulse, a second rate club in an off strip part of downtown, for five years. He’d seen it all and this guy was no different.
Big Mike looks up from the heavy tome he’s reading. He’s catching up on his night class homework. He’s an impressive figure crew cut, framing a hard face, slight scar running into his hair line above the left ear, heavy leather coat, in black obviously, crisp white shirt, black clip on tie, black trousers and tactical boots - not that it looks like he runs much.
“Hey Pal you gonna let me and my guys in tonight?” Leered the wise guy, trying to pull off an updated Don Johnson/ Miami Vice look ..but in Mike’s opinion failing badly.
Big Mike shifted his considerable weight left to right and back again. “No can do sir”. Gravely voice firm but fair. A voice used to command and getting attention.
“Hey give a guy a break ok? What’s the problem? Wrong Shoes? Wrong trousers?” Then with menace “...Or something more personal?” The guy is escalating... chin out, shoulders back, arms widening, backing into the dark street for space. Clearly he wants the dance to begin. Mike’s had all that deescalation training but sometimes there’s a public service element in play.
Big Mike, stretches his head from side to side across his broad shoulders, producing a satisfying and often elusive little click as his neck releases tension. He’s ready. He’s done this too many times. Sometimes wonders how many more years his body can sustain the abuse.
He holds the book he’s been reading in his right hand, spine outwards to protect the pages, “Architecture Tomorrow” By Prof William Smith. A very good read, all things considered, really brings buildings to life. Particularly good on how to design buildings which flow naturally. Flow is important, ..well flow and energy.
Big Mike has a feeling flow and energy are going to be quite important, critical even, in the next two minutes as well.
His dream is to redesign buildings, knock them about and create something better. He smiles, funny how right now he has to do that with drunk idiots. But he guesses everyone has to start somewhere.
Stepping to his left, and into the door camera blind spot he waits. Architecture books are always so heavy, have you noticed? All those pictures maybe? The fool is dancing, trying to do his ‘float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’ thing to impress his mates. That’s when he makes his one mistake. A little too close, maybe just by an inch. The spine of the book hits him square across the nose with a resultant, and to be honest, quite satisfying, ..crack. The book gives just those extra six inches of reach that the wise guy hadn’t anticipated. The pen once again mightier than the sword?
Blood spews onto the street. No major harm done. Then the fool’s lurching up the street and away, with his pals consoling him and reassuring him that it was a “cheap hit”, “we’ll get him next time”, “he’ll get his”, but guys like that are all mouth. It’s the quiet ones you’ve gotta watch.
Big Mike wipes the spine of the book and resumes his seat by the door, opening at Chapter 6 Creating Energy Flow. Worth a refresh.
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